Rev. Babcock's sermons in 2004

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DATE	SERMON TITLE	Notes
12/19/2004	So Fair a Fancy	In his poem "The Oxen," Thomas Hardy writes of the Christmas story, "So fair a fancy few would weave / In these years!" We live in equally unimaginative times. What if we were to "withdraw from the cold and barren world of prosaic fact . . . for a season" [David Rhys Williams]? The sermon will investigate.
12/5/2004	Are You Ready?	In the Christian calendar, we have now entered the season of Advent. Advent is a time of expectation, waiting, and readiness. Christians are supposed to ready themselves for the arrival of the "Son of Man." Henry David Thoreau encouraged us to keep an "infinite expectation of the dawn." The Buddha claimed that his most distinguishing characteristic was simply that he was "awake." How do we hold ourselves in a state of constant readiness? Why? How do we wake up? The sermon will investigate.
11/21/2004	Thanks-living	My sermon this morning takes its title from a little verse entitled "Thanksliving": Were thanks with every gift expressed,           Each day would be Thanksgiving, Were gratitude its very best,           Each life would be thanksliving. The author has the wonderful and appropriate name, "Chauncey R. Piety." The sermon will investigate "thanksliving." There will be a brief presentation about the Guest at Your Table program, and the boxes will be handed out. I look forward to seeing you in church!
11/14/2004	Come As You Are	This morning we will once again welcome new members-those who have decided to become legal voting members of the congregation and who have submitted an Application for Membership-into the fellowship of the First Religious Society in a Ceremony of New Member Recognition. My colleague Roy Phillips used to invite new members of the Unity Church UU in St. Paul, Minnesota, to "come as you are." The sermon will investigate what this might mean for all of us.
11/7/2004	Seeing the Future in the Past	This morning marks the beginning of a week of celebration of our decade long Partner Church relationship with the Unitarian church of Ujszekely, in Transylvania, a beautiful, mountainous region of Romania. We will kick off a week of fundraising activities to help bring our Partner Church minister Zsolt Jakab and his wife Borika, and the church president Jozsef Buzogany and his wife Susi, to Newburyport in April. On the evening of Thursday, November 11, there will be a potluck dinner and slide presentation about our Partner Church, and we will be taking orders for a Partner Church calendar and auctioning off some wonderful Transylvanian craft items (great for Christmas gifts!). Our hope is to raise at least $3000.00 to fund the visit of our friends from Ujszekely. My sermon takes its cue from a quotation by Transylvanian Gabriel Daniel: "For it is the past, upon which the future relies." The Teen Choir will sing. There will be no Young Church classes this morning, but there will be childcare provided in the nursery. I look forward to seeing you in church!
10/24/2004	The Goal of World Community. . .	This Sunday many Unitarian Universalist Congregations will be celebrating "United Nations Sunday." For many years the Unitarian Universalist Association has maintained an office at the U.N. in order to have a voice there as well as to respond to our sixth Unitarian Universalist principle: "the goal of world community with peace, liberty, and justice for all." This year we will re-join the celebration. In recent years the United Nations has come under increasing criticism from United States administrations. Yet what other body currently exists to mediate international conflicts? Is there still a role for the United Nations? Has it outlived its early promise, or is that promise yet to be realized? The sermon will investigate.
10/17/2004	The Meaning(s) of Life	This morning's sermon will look at some of the ultimate questions which religion always seeks to answer: why was I born? What am I meant to do? Why must I die? What is the meaning of life? And what if rather than having a meaning, life turns out to have many meanings? My colleague Forrester Church has said that religion is our human response to the dual reality of being born and having to die. The sermon will consider the meanings of life in the face of birth and death.
10/10/2004	The Longing of the Spirit	In Farid ud-Din Attar's Sufi fable The Conference of the Birds, we learn that on the journey to God, one should take only "the ardor of love" and "the longing of the spirit," because "no one can offer more than this." The Islamic observance of Ramadan begins on October 15. The sermon will investigate the meaning of this holy time and the truth of Attar's claim. The Young Church Choir will sing. There will be no Young Church classes this morning, but there will be childcare.
9/26/2004	Taking Back Your Time--Reclaiming the Sabbath	This September the Massachusetts Council of Churches is sponsoring a "Take Back Your Time/Choose Four Windows of Time" project to call attention to issues of overwork and "time poverty" in American culture. (On the internet, see www.masscouncilofchurches.org/docs/takebacktime.htm.) As it states in materials mailed to Massachusetts congregations, "We hear the same complaint everywhere. People feel the pace of their lives is out of balance and out of control." The idea is to take four windows of time over a month for simple, restorative activities: time to be with self, family, God, community, nature. I think this is a great idea! It also ties in nicely with the annual Jewish observance of Yom Kippur, which is in part a time "to restore [us] to that state of wholeness and holiness which is a condition of [our] fulfilling [our] function in the world and serving as effective co-workers of God" [Theodor Gaster, Festivals of the Jewish Year]. The sermon will investigate "taking back your time."
9/19/2004	Is America Too Religious?	This may seem a strange question for a sermon, but here goes anyway. Polls continue to show that the United States is one of the most religious countries in the world, at least as evidenced by attendance at religious services. In some polls, 90% of Americans claim to believe in God. We all know the influence (positive or negative, you decide) that religious groups currently exercise in social and political matters. So what do you think? Is America too religious, or is it possible that we are still not religious enough? Young Church classes begin today. After the service, we will once again caravan to Maudslay Park for a picnic (see below for more information).
9/12/2004	The Treasure that Couldn't Be Kept	When Sabrina and I reluctantly sold our house in Maine back in 1999, our son Josh remarked, "It was the treasure that couldn't be kept." That could apply to a lot of things besides a house. The sermon will investigate some of the treasures that can't be kept. This Sunday we will re-gather our worshipping community from the summer hiatus with an intergenerational family service. There will be a procession of the flowers, so please bring a flower to share during the service. There will also be an opportunity to register children for Young Church classes, and Young Church choirs begin today. I look forward to welcoming you back to church!
8/1/2004	Changing Perspectives	My late colleague, Ed Atkinson, who ministered for many years in Cohasset, used to joke about what he called his comfortable "fur-lined rut." All of us get into ruts, fur-lined or otherwise, and a change of perspective can help us to climb out of them. Recently returned from a trip to visit our Partner Church in Transylvania and other European destinations, I have once again experienced that change of perspective that travel usually provokes. It is always good to come home, but a change of perspective can also help us to better appreciate it. In religion, too, a change of perspective can be useful. The sermon will investigate "changing perspectives."
6/20/2004	Summer Amnesty	Melvin Maddocks writes that "Summer is a mood - a space cleared. We need this amnesty of a 'plotless now': a time when we feel and be rather than think and do." I don't know about you, but I am ready for the summer "amnesty." This is the closing Sunday of our regular church year; however, summer services are available just up the road at the Unitarian Church in Hampton Falls, NH.
6/13/2004	Building the Beloved Community One Group at a Time	Since January, a small group of enthusiastic folks (Alex Mezey, Linda Tulley, Rick Anderson, Peter Litwin, Nancy Colby, Allyson Lawless, and Harold Babcock) has been meeting to implement a "Shared Ministry Groups" program for the First Religious Society. Based on the small group ministry movement which has already taken root in many Unitarian Universalist churches, shared ministry groups are a way to assimilate new members, build intimacy among those of us already here, investigate ultimate questions, and provide service to the church and the wider community. In February, I led the Parish Committee in a shared ministry group experience to introduce it to the concept. The response was very positive. Come and learn about what we have discovered and what our plans for the future are. Members of the Shared Ministry Group Implementation Team will participate with me in the service.
5/30/2004	Turning	Among our Transylvanian Unitarian friends, Pentacost is one of the most important holidays of the liturgical year. It is one of the four times a year that they celebrate "The Lord's Supper," or communion (the others being Harvest, Christmas, and Easter). In the Christian tradition, Pentacost marks the day the Holy Ghost was supposed to have descended upon the Apostles, giving them the power to preach and convert. Among the Transylvanian Unitarians, Pentacost is a time for conversion--literally, for "turning"--a time to reassess and purify our lives. I have been shocked, saddened, and depressed by the images coming out of Iraq in recent weeks. Would that the power of turning would descend upon our world as well as upon ourselves. Memorial Day seems like a good time to consider all of this. I look forward to seeing you in church.
5/23/2004	The Congregational Way	On Wednesday, May 26, at 7:00 p.m. our congregation will hold its Annual Meeting. If you are a legal member of the First Religious Society, you have a vote at this meeting. Since we need a quorum of at least 50 members in order to transact our business, I hope that you will make every effort to be present and to let your voice be heard in our deliberations. If you have never attended an Annual Meeting, I invite you to do so. Indeed, if you are a member, it is your democratic responsibility and obligation to attend if possible. Participatory democracy has its roots in "the congregational way." The Puritans brought this form of church government to the colonies in the 1600's and codified it in a document called "The Cambridge Platform" of 1648. Having been persecuted for their beliefs and practices in Europe, they were determined to maintain their independence and autonomy here in New England. Congregationalism places the power of the church in the hands of the people, rather than in a centralized authority. Unitarian Universalists are the inheritors of this way of "doing" church. It's up to us; no one else is going to do it for us (or, gratefully, to us). The sermon will investigate "The Congregational Way."
5/2/2004	Unity and Comm-unity	This morning we will once again welcome new members-those who have decided to become legal voting members of the congregation and who have submitted an Application for Membership-into the fellowship of the First Religious Society in a Ceremony of New Member Recognition. My colleague David Bumbaugh has written that "Beneath all our diversity there is a unity that makes us one." The sermon will investigate.
4/18/2004	Reconsidering Grace	Is "grace" a concept at all congenial to religious liberalism? It all depends on what we mean by it. Not if we mean something magical. But if we mean something like unsolicited or unexpected or even undeserved good fortune or insight, or serendipity, I believe that grace can be a useful concept to explain a certain type of commonly shared religious experience. Even orthodox Christian doctrine makes room for what it calls "actual grace a certain motion of the soul, bestowed by God ad hoc for the production of some good act." One need not be a Christian to be a recipient of "actual" grace. "Grace," writes Alice Walker, "Gives me a day/ Too beautiful." The sermon will reconsider "grace."
4/11/2004	The Passion(s) of Jesus	Lately there has been a lot in the media about Mel Gibson's new film The Passion of the Christ. I am far more interested in the passion(s) of Jesus. Belief in the resurrection of the Christ demands a leap of faith. Following the precepts and example of Jesus does not. Unitarian Universalists have always been more interested in the teachings of the historical Jesus than in the supernaturalism of the theological Christ. What did Jesus actually say and do? What did he want from us? What were his passions?
4/4/2004	Watch With Me	My sermon title is taken from a passage from the Book of Matthew: "Tarry ye here, and watch with me." (Mt 26:38 KJV) Passover tells the story of an oppressed minority and how God and Moses helped them to outwit their Egyptian overlords, it is an archetypal tale of liberation. Jesus, a Jew, went up to Jerusalem during the Passover Celebration to give public witness to his ideas for liberating us human beings from some of the things that oppress us. He modeled a way of being with people, mostly the outcasts and social misfits and pariahs of his time, that still deserves our consideration. We still have not taken his teachings or example seriously enough in his hour of need, when Jesus was threatened by the powers that be, he was abandoned even by those who supposedly loved him. Who will stand by us in our hour of need? Who will watch with us? The sermon will investigate some of the themes in the Passover and Palm Sunday stories, and consider a few who were faithful even unto death.
3/21/2004	Continuity and Creativity	Or, "tradition and innovation," or "formality versus informality." It seems to me that we struggle with these realities in the ongoing life of our congregation, and in our individual lives as well. When does tradition become a hindrance? How much formality is a good thing? How do we leave room for creativity? Many churches (and individuals) are struggling with these issues. I happen to think that we have found a nice balance here at the First Religious Society, but the question must always remain open. Spring has sprung! The Teen Choir will sing. Alleluia!
3/14/2004	The Things Death Cannot Overcome	Today marks the beginning of our annual stewardship drive, or, as we like to call it, our "every member canvass." That is our hope, anyway: that every member and friend of the First Religious Society will make a financial commitment to the church. My sermon title is taken from a quotation by the Transylvanian Unitarian Gyula Illyes: "Work and create things death cannot overcome." Working to create things of permanence in a world of change and impermanence is, it seems to me, what the church is ultimately all about. It is, ultimately, the reason that I pledge my financial support to the church. Without our support--and whether we like it or not, that means our financial support as well as our time and talent--the church can accomplish nothing of permanent value. I will share a few thoughts about my passions, and about why I pledge. I hope to see you in church!
3/7/2004	Finding a Spiritual Discipline	Many of us are searching for ways to slow down and to be more attentive and intentional in how we live our lives. The sermon will investigate some of the ways--meditation, prayer, pilgrimage, and others--that people have traditionally found conducive to getting back to essentials. They are called "disciplines" for a reason. What is most important in your life?
2/29/2004	Walking Together	The privilege of choosing this morning's sermon was purchased by Tom Stites and Alex Mezey at last year's auction. Tom asked me to speak on the subject of "covenant," speculating that, "My sense is that the stronger the understanding of an intentional and well-wrought covenant that a congregation has, the stronger the congregation is." Since we are noncreedal, what is it that binds us together in fellowship? What do we hold in common? The sermon will investigate.
2/15/2004	God Is Love	These words can be found conspicuously displayed in many formerly Universalist churches. The early Universalists really had only one doctrine: everyone would be saved, they said, because God was all-powerful and loving. Therefore, they didn't believe in Hell (they were called, among other things, "antiHellians"), and insofar as they believed in any form of divine retribution at all, it would only be temporary. They believed that we made our own heavens and hells here on earth. Because they believed in a God of Love, they tried to emulate that God in all of their endeavors. They believed in education, women's rights, and prison reform, among many other causes. They lived good lives without the threat of eternal damnation. We can still learn from this proud heritage.
2/1/2004	Homosexuality and the Bible	What does the Bible really say about homosexuality? You may be surprised to learn that it says remarkably little. Jesus doesn't mention it. With all the hoopla about gay bishops and gay marriage, you'd think that the Bible had a lot to say on the subject. It doesn't. Biblical scholar Walter Wink once wrote, "The Bible doesn't really have a sexual ethic. What it has is a love ethic." As my colleague Suzanne Spencer has written, "In its love ethic, [the Bible] speaks in one voice to all of us." The sermon will investigate.
1/25/2004	The Vertical Dimension	Inspired by my visits to several English cathedrals, my sermon will investigate "the vertical dimension." Hugh Dickinson, Dean Emeritus of Salisbury Cathedral, has written that "Gothic cathedrals are astounding monuments to the aspirations of the human spirit reaching out to the divine . . . " We may sometimes despair about the value of religious institutions and of religion itself, but the moments of inspiration can often rescue the hours and days in the desert. Our failures to communicate the sacred are not nearly as surprising as our occasional successes. In a place like Salisbury Cathedral, one is struck by the insignificance of belief alongside the fact of sacred space. Our own spectacular meeting house is a case in point.
1/11/2004	Worth It	Life ends with death. We know that, unless we are in complete denial. No one knows what happens after we die. In spite of that hard reality and that uncertainty, most of us still find life worth living. Many of us will never get enough, a few will get too much, but most of us still think the journey of life is worth it. Unitarian Universalism affirms that life is good in spite of the fact that we grow old and die. The sermon will consider life and death to see whether it might be so.